Turkey Eyes Raid Into Northern Iraq

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SIRNAK, Turkey — The Turkish government has decided to seek parliamentary authorization for a cross-border military operation in northern Iraq to chase separatist Kurdish rebels there, a party official said today.

The decision, which follows deadly attacks on soldiers in recent days that outraged the public, came in a meeting between Prime Minister Erdogan and officials from his ruling party, said a party official who was at the meeting. He asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

It was not clear when the bill would go before parliament, but the government wanted it to pass “as soon as possible,” the official said after the meeting.

The government needs approval from parliament to act when it wants to, although it was not clear whether the military would immediately choose to stage any cross-border operation or wait to see if America and Iraqi Kurds take robust action against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.

Ruling party leaders have previously taken a cautious approach to the idea of a cross-border operation despite accusations from opposition parties that the government is weak on terrorism. However, public anger is such that lawmakers are now likely to grant approval for a military offensive into Iraq.

The government said earlier it had begun preparations for a military operation into Iraq to pursue the rebels.

However, a statement released after a meeting between Mr. Erdogan and security officials did not say an operation would definitely occur. Turkey has said it would prefer that America and its Iraqi Kurd allies in northern Iraq crack down on the PKK.

“Institutions concerned have been given the necessary orders and instructions to make all kinds of legal, economic, and political preparations to end the presence of the terror organization in a neighboring country in the upcoming period, including if necessary a cross-border operation,” the statement said.


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